Orders for durable goods see decline

WASHINGTON (AP) — Orders for goods expected to last at least three years unexpectedly fell in August mainly because of a sharp drop in demand for commercial aircraft.

The second decline in orders for durable goods in three months is evidence that any recovery in manufacturing will be slow and gradual.

The Department of Commerce said orders for durable goods dropped 2.4 percent in August, after increasing a revised 4.8 percent in July. Wall Street economists expected a 0.5 percent increase, according to a survey by Thomson Reuters.